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Beavercreek Firm Builds Xenia Home Using Green Technology

In Business, Economy, Local News, Media, State News, Uncategorized on March 16, 2011 at 9:32 am

In an effort to meet the growing demand for environmentally friendly, more energy efficient homes, designers have developed cost-saving heating and cooling systems, appliances and electrical systems. Until now, however, those improvements have been used in standard stick-framed homes where the energy savings can escape, literally, right through the walls.

Just south of Xenia in the Wright Cycle Estates, Beaver-Vu Construction and Waterproofing is building a home using new technology that marries the insulating properties of a polymer with the strength of concrete. Located at 2230 Schwinn Ave., the project is making use of Insulated Concrete Forms, or ICF, which combines polystyrene foam with reinforced concrete.

Used in the foundation and walls of the home, ICF offers greater energy efficiency (equivalent to R 22 insulation), as well as increased fire and storm resistance.  ICF can be used in the walls of slab foundations, crawl spaces, basements, and the living area creating a healthier living environment by reducing excess noise and eliminating moisture problems common to traditional construction techniques.

Marty Walling is the vice president of Beaver-Vu Construction, based in Beavercreek, Ohio. He recently became one of a select group of professional builders nationwide to earn the Certified Green Professional (CGP) designation and is an authority in the new, continuously insulating technology.

“An ICF home is extremely energy efficient because it is air-tight,” Walling says. “No joints exist in the exterior wall envelope, or between walls and floors. This prevents conditioned air leaking from the interior to the exterior of the home. Energy savings from reduced air infiltration are obvious when compared to the large amount of heating and cooling losses experienced in traditionally built houses.”

Walling says that the idea of building an ICF-structured home had interested him for some time, but he was skeptical of the quality and design of available materials. “I investigated Nudura Insulated Concrete Forms which has a local distributor, Holdfast Technologies,” Walling says. “After attending one of their informational seminars, I felt their materials met all the criteria I was looking for.” Almost as important was the choice of location for this unique project.

For Walling there was no better location than Xenia, Ohio. He chose Xenia because of his long history with the Wright Cycle Estates development and to help promote one of the benefits of ICF construction: its inherent resistance to high winds, up to 250 miles per hour.

“We own building lots at Wright Cycle Estates and over the years we’ve heard endless comments regarding Xenia’s tornadic history,” Walling said. “Sometimes serious questions were raised regarding safe rooms within slab construction. So, if we were going to build this project anyway, why not make the most logical choice for the location.” As one might expect, increased energy efficiency and structural integrity comes with a higher price tag.

Until the ICF technology is more widely used, construction may be more expensive than that of traditional wood-framed homes. According to Walling, however, the expense is negligible.

“Depending on the build, construction costs using the new technology can be anywhere from 5 to 10 percent higher.” He added that the long-term benefits such as reduced sound transmission, greater fire and moisture resistance and overall energy savings would far outweigh any initial expense and insists that ICF is a good investment in the Miami Valley.

The ICF home project is expected to be completed in late March and will be on the market and available for tours early in April. A public open house is planned as well to give people a chance to see, first hand, how this new building technology can benefit future homeowners. For more information on this project, contact Marty Walling at Beaver-Vu Construction by calling (937) 426-4455 or go online to http://www.beaver-vu.com.

 

 

 

Public Employee Protests Just The Beginning

In Business, Economy, Jobs, Local News, Media, National News, Opinion, Politics, State News, Uncategorized on February 28, 2011 at 8:35 pm

By Gery L. Deer

DEER IN HEADLINES

A serious uprising is currently in progress against several state legislatures around the country. In capitol buildings around the country public employees are protesting en mass in response to a proposed bill that, among other things, would limit their collective bargaining power.

When Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker announced that there would be an immediate vote on the bill, thousands of teachers, firefighters, nurses and other public workers descended on the capitol and entrenched themselves in dissent.

A similar bill has been introduced in other states, including Ohio, resulting in the same kinds of resistance. In an unprecedented and brilliant political publicity stunt former Ohio Governor Ted Strickland joined the protestors on Thursday, even donning their red-colored clothing. The red clothing is an effort by union members to steer opinion away from the belief that unions are purely democratic organizations.

While protests flare, the democratic members of the Wisconsin legislature fled the state in an effort to stall the vote. Both states are in a serious budget deficit and their republican legislative members are insisting that correcting the disproportionate benefit investment requirements between the public and private sector employees would help to shore up state coffers.

In addition, the Ohio bill would replace negotiated salaries for teachers with merit raises, which is how wage increases are granted in the majority of private sector jobs. Limiting the power of unions to engage in collective bargaining activities on behalf of public employees has sparked rage across the country, and now the Tea Party movement has jumped into the fight, showing the instability and unfocused actions of its organizers.

The Tea Party’s involvement in the collective bargaining debate serves only to contradict its own foundation. The Tea Party movement began because certain groups of conservative Americans were unhappy with the ways in which their legislative representatives were handling their interests in Washington, in effect, limiting their collective bargaining strength.

The point of a union is to work on behalf of its members to bargain with employers for the best possible working conditions and benefits. Representation of a group of constituents, whether they are made up of voters or union members, is essentially the same concept. In Ohio, Governor John Kasich is not only supporting the current bill but also wants even further union limitations.

If balancing the budget is really the problem, perhaps unions and legislators should do a better job at bargaining in the first place. Some salaries for public workers seem totally off balance with the position. The idea that anyone in a public school system, for example, makes a six-figure income should infuriate people more than anything else.

Consider the superintendent of Dayton Public Schools whose salary, as of July 2010, was $150,000. Why? The Ohio governor earns only $145,000, and that’s only the 14th highest in the country. How does running a school system possibly warrant more money than overseeing the operations of an entire state?

Besides the collective bargaining argument, there is also the debate as to whether public workers should be required to contribute as much to their retirement and healthcare plans as their private sector counterparts. The answer to this is a resounding yes. There is no reason that public employees should have their health care or retirement over-subsidized by the taxpayer when those same constituents already provide their paychecks.

Some teachers are underpaid and some are making too much, as do firefighters, police officers and health care providers. But in the end, they are taxpayers too and they should appreciate that everyone else has to ante up for their benefits and forcing the public to pay the majority of it is unreasonable.

There is no question that that there may be inherent union corruption and their power should be reasonably limited to work for the good of lower level employees, not to boost overinflated benefits of a few. Sadly, unions are still a necessary evil in the continuing effort to ensure fair labor practices whether public or private.  That said, if the governors of these troubled states are paying attention, there are only two words to keep in mind: remember Egypt.

Columnist Gery L. Deer is a freelance journalist and business writer based in Jamestown. Read more at http://www.gerydeer.com

Only Loughner Is To Blame for Tucson Shooting

In Business, Media, National News, Politics, State News, Uncategorized on January 12, 2011 at 11:51 am

Commentary By Gery L. Deer

DEER IN HEADLINES

As authorities work to piece together more details on the Tucson, Arizona shooting that killed six and critically injured Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, people should be mindful of the dangers involved with courting rumor and speculation.

Pundits are inundating the airways and cyberspace with opinions, speculation and finger pointing in an effort to use this horrific event to discredit the platform of their opponents. Politicizing this event in such a way is shameful.

While there is little doubt that the shooter, 22-year-old Jared Lee Loughner, is a deeply troubled and unstable individual, no evidence has been uncovered at this point to support theories of conspiracy. Nor has he been officially tied to any sort of anti-government organization or political party.

Yet, there is further talk about this man being encouraged to violence by the politicians themselves through metaphor or badly worded speeches and writings. However, to blame Sarah Palin, Barak Obama or anyone else for this man’s twisted behavior is pointless and disrespectful to all involved, particularly the victims.

The events of January 7th were perpetrated by one man whose dissatisfaction with the world around him combined with his mental and emotional issues to push him over the edge of reason and compassion.

No doubt the Hollywood left will soon weigh in about the fact that the man used a gun. A gun control argument regarding this situation is pointless. If Loughner was as mentally disturbed as has been reported, he would have found a way to do this, whether by way of a gun or some other weapon. And if the gun could not be bought legally, he would have obtained it illegally.

Just a reminder, Presidents Reagan and Kennedy were both shot while surrounded by the United States Secret Service – the best-trained and best-armed security officers in the history of the world. Crackpots will always find a way.

Through all of the mindless conjecture being bantered about on television news and talk radio, one argument does have some merit. Political rhetoric and unrest is at a long-time high in America right now. Not since the Vietnam War have Americans been so politically divided.

Clearly America’s political landscape is toxic and shows no immediate signs of improvement. Even so, how one chooses to respond to the current state of government separates activists from lunatics. There is no way to know what Loughner hoped to gain by attacking Congresswoman Giffords, but it is likely he expected to be killed in the attempt.

No one made this man act as he did. It was his choice – whether he proves out to be sane or not. His political or emotional motives are little comfort to families and friends of his victims who struggle to cope with the loss and injury of loved ones.

The big question now is to determine how something like this can be prevented from happening again? Unfortunately, there is just no way to do that. As long as there is a voice of the people, there will be no way to please everyone and fanatics always manage to float to the top, like flotsam in the currents of history.

Occasionally, those fanatics turn out to be great heroes, like our own founding fathers. Usually, however, they are just misguided malcontents who never see the bigger picture or have any understanding of how their actions affect others.

Winston Churchill said, “Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the others.” As long as people are free to speak their minds, people will voice their discontent. Practiced peacefully, protest brings about healthy change and keeps politicians on the straight and narrow. When protest turns violent however, as it did in Tucson, innocent people pay the price.

Gery L. Deer is a freelance writer and columnist based in Jamestown, Ohio. More at http://www.gerydeer.com

Indiana earthquake felt in Jamestown

In Media, State News, Uncategorized on December 30, 2010 at 9:59 am

INDIANA – An earthquake measuring 3.8 on the Richter scale struck just before 8 a.m. Eastern Time Thursday morning. According to the U.S. Geological Survey the quake was three miles deep and was felt well into western Ohio.

Officials say that the epicenter was located approximately 15 miles southeast of the town of Kokomo, about 50 miles north of Indianapolis.

Minor damage was reported in Indianapolis and residents in west central Ohio felt vibrations in floors and furniture.

“I couldn’t imagine what was causing it,” said one resident of Jamestown, Ohio. “I thought the cats were doing something to cause it.”

Official report available here.

Halloween: A Night for Treats, Not Tragedies

In Local News, Media, State News, Uncategorized on October 27, 2010 at 10:09 am

(Xenia, OH) – Did you know that on average, twice as many kids are killed while walking on Halloween as compared to any other day of the year?

Kids will be out this weekend trick or treating while it is dark – making it harder for drivers to see them and because they’re excited about getting candy, they may not be watching out for cars.

Parents and drivers both need to do their part to help kids stay out of the emergency room on Halloween. Emphasize safe pedestrian behaviors to kids before they go out trick-or-treating.

Parents should also remember that costumes can be both creative and safe, so look for ways to use reflective materials.

Drivers must slow down and watch out for trick-or-treaters, especially around crosswalks and driveways.

Top tips to keep your kids safe on Halloween

For parents and children:

  • Choose light-colored costumes that can be seen in the dark.
  • Decorate your children’s costumes with reflective materials.  Give them flashlights and glow sticks to carry in order to see better, as well as be seen by drivers.
  • Cross the street safely at corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks. Look left, right and left again when crossing and keep looking as you cross. Walk, don’t run, across the street.
  • Walk on sidewalks or paths. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far to the left as possible.
  • Children should walk on direct routes with the fewest street crossings.
  • Slow down and stay alert – watch out for cars that are turning or backing up and never dart out into the street or cross in between parked cars.
  • Masks can obstruct a child’s vision, so choose non-toxic face paint, make-up, and wigs instead.

For drivers:

  • Slow down in residential neighborhoods and school zones.
  • Remember that popular trick-or-treating hours are between 5:30 and 9:30 p.m. so be sure to turn on your full headlights.
  • Be especially alert and take extra time to look for kids at intersections, on medians and on curbs. Children are excited on Halloween and may move in unpredictable ways.
  • Slowly and carefully enter and exit driveways and alleys.
  • Reduce any distractions inside your car, such as talking on the phone or eating, so you can concentrate on the road and your surroundings.

Treats:

While pedestrian safety is a main concern on Halloween, parents and kids should also be careful when dealing with candy. Remind children to only eat treats in original and unopened wrappers.

Beggars Night date and times for Greene County are as follows:

  • Beavercreek and Beavercreek Township       10/30, 6-8pm
  • Bellbrook                                                        10/30, 6-8pm
  • Cedarville                                                       10/30, 5:30-7pm
  • Fairborn                                                          10/30, 6-8pm
  • Jamestown                                                      10/30, 6-7:30pm
  • Xenia                                                              10/30, 6-8pm
  • Yellow Springs                                               10/30, 6-8pm

 

These safety tips have been provided by SafeKids USA.  Learn more at www.safekids.org.   For more information on the Greene County Safe Communities Coalition, call Laurie Fox at 937-374-5669 or email her at lfox@gcchd.org.

 

Jamestown couple still struggling two years after Wilmington DHL closing.

In Local News, Media, State News, Uncategorized on July 4, 2010 at 10:15 pm
By Gery L. Deer
Editor

 

JAMESTOWN – When DHL closed its Wilmington, Ohio operations in 2008, the company was losing an estimated $6 million a day in the United States market. The German-based transport service bought out Airborne Express, which had established one of its largest hubs at Wilmington’s abandoned air force base in 1980. More than 8,000 people worked at what became known as “the air park” and the loss of those jobs extends

Cathy Wolf shows off her silk flower packages in a home-made display on July 2nd during Xenia’s “First Friday” event.

far beyond the borders of Clinton County.

 Like the rest of the nation, Ohio’s unemployment rate continues to climb with no relief on the immediate horizon. Nearly two years after the closing of the DHL facility, many of the company’s former employees and their families are still struggling to find a new way to make a living.

 Dire enough for younger workers, the situation is even more desperate for those more seasoned employees who were displaced after many years of service. Some of the most experienced and valuable of the population is having the hardest time returning to work. 

 Cathy Wolf is about to celebrate her 55th birthday. She lived and worked in Wilmington with her 48-year-old husband Robert, until he became one of more than 7,000 employees discharged from DHL. After nearly two decades with the company, the hope of a secure retirement evaporated in an instant.

 Shortly after, Cathy also lost her job with a vending supplier that serviced the air park and surrounding area. It was fortunate that the Wolf’s three children were already grown and on their own, especially considering that the couple was forced to give up their Wilmington home to the mortgage company and file for bankruptcy.

 Their credit destroyed and living off of a cashed out retirement account, they managed to find a small house to rent in Jamestown and set to the arduous task of searching for new jobs. To complicate matters, Cathy and Robert have been doing what they can to help ailing parents and support their middle daughter who is raising a new baby after losing her husband to kidney disease in the summer of 2009.

 Now, almost twenty-four months after the layoffs, benefits are exhausted and, thanks to state cuts in job training and educational resources, Cathy and Robert have been left with few options. With rent to pay and food to buy, Cathy decided to take matters into her own hands.

 A 1974 graduate of the Greene County Career Center, then known as Greene Joint Vocational School, Cathy’s educational background was in horticulture. Over the years, she worked in nurseries, green houses and similar jobs though her skill and enjoyment was always in floral arrangement.

 Rather than lose to a lethargic economy and empty promises from the bureaucrats in Washington, Cathy chose to go into business for herself designing and selling pre-packaged silk flower arrangements for weddings. Cathy has branded her fledgling business, Cash, Carry & Get Married, marketing to smaller weddings on a limited budget.

 “I’ve made floral arrangements as wedding gifts for friends and family over the years,” she said. “And, the way things are now, many people can’t afford to pay a lot for wedding flowers but still want something nice.”

 Not to be left out, Robert has also been working to get a handyman service off the ground. A skilled maintenance worker and experienced forklift operator, Robert has taken to doing residential repair work passed along by acquaintances from their church.

 Cathy and Robert should have been looking forward to retirement in another 15 years but instead they are starting over. Armed with basic tools and supplies and a handful of home-printed business cards, the couple is determined to do for themselves that which Washington and Columbus have failed to achieve.

 As prospects for employment diminish for those older workers affected by today’s challenges it will take fortitude, faith and a little luck to make it in an economy that has all but turned its back on the elder population.

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